David Blaine: "Breathless" On Oprah
Endurance specialist David Blaine set a new world record for holding his breath. He lasted 17 minutes and 4 seconds.
The feat was broadcast live on "The Oprah Winfrey Show." The old record was 16 minutes and 32 seconds.
Blaine said after it was over that he'd accomplished a lifelong dream.
He had convulsions the last time he tried the stunt. This time he inhaled pure oxygen ahead of time to saturate his blood with oxygen and flush out carbon dioxide. The process is allowed by Guinness World Records.
Blaine says he used to hold his breath as a child, which gave him an edge in swimming races.
Photos: Evel Knievel 1938-2007
Other stunts have included Blaine spending more than a month in a glass box over the River Thames in London, a week in a see-through coffin and 63 hours inside a block of ice.